Authors:
- Describes the life and work of one of the founders of NMR, laser spectroscopy and non-linear optics
- Presents a detailed and panoramic view of the developments in science in the second half of the twentieth century
- Describes Bloembergen's pioneering work in quantum electronics including the invention of the three-level maser
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: Springer Biographies (SPRINGERBIOGS)
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Table of contents (16 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Family and Upbringing
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Front Matter
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From Atoms to Humans: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and MRI
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Front Matter
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Non-linear Optics, the Icing on the Cake
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Front Matter
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About this book
This biography is a personal portrait of one of the best-known Dutch physicists, Nicolaas Bloembergen. Born in 1920 in Dordrecht, Bloembergen studied physics in Utrecht, leaving after World War II for the United States, where he became an American citizen in 1958. At Harvard University, he pioneered nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, used in chemistry and biology for structure identification; moreover leading to MRI), laser theory and nonlinear optics. In 1978 he was awarded the Lorentz Medal for his contribution to the theory of nonlinear optics (used in fiber optics), and in 1981 he received the Nobel Prize for physics, along with Arthur Schawlow and Kai Siegbahn.
The book is based on numerous conversations with Nicolaas Bloembergen himself, his wife Deli Brink, his family, and colleagues in science. It describes his childhood and study in Bilthoven and Utrecht, the first postwar years at Harvard, the discoveries of masers and lasers, and the award of the Nobel Prize.It also delves into Bloembergen's involvement in American politics, particularly his role in Ronald Reagan's controversial "Star Wars" program.
Keywords
- Nico Bloembergen Biography
- Nobel Prize Winner Physics 1981
- Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Nuclear magnetic relaxation
- Laser spectroscopy
- Nobel prize laser spectroscopy
- Dutch Nobel laureates
- Nuclear quadrupole interactions in alloys
- Three-level solid state maser
- Interactions of picosecond and femtosecond laser pulses
- Pioneer nonlinear optics
- Strategic defense initiative
- Physics education during World War II
- Reagan's Star Wars
Authors and Affiliations
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Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Rob Herber
About the author
Dr. Rob Herber was Associate Professor at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam. Amongst others, he developed both methods and apparatus for atomic absorption spectrometry and an optical pyrometer for this apparatus. He is currently a guest researcher at the Descartes Centre of Utrecht University.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Nico Bloembergen
Book Subtitle: Master of Light
Authors: Rob Herber
Series Title: Springer Biographies
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25737-8
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-25736-1Published: 06 December 2019
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-25739-2Published: 11 January 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-25737-8Published: 25 November 2019
Series ISSN: 2365-0613
Series E-ISSN: 2365-0621
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XX, 381
Topics: Popular Science in Physics, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Optics, Lasers, Photonics, Optical Devices, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, History of Science